BRIEFLY

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Sunday, February 02, 2014

McCabe injured

CANBERRA - Wallabies centre Pat McCabe suffered a head knock in his first match back from injury, as the Brumbies were overrun 15-11 by the Highlanders in a trial match in Queenstown. The good news for last year's Super Rugby runners up is that stand-in captain and Wallabies flanker David Pocock played a solid 40 minutes on Friday.

Olympics safe

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said in an interview that aired yesterday that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi will be "safe," although he cautioned there were "always some risks" of a terror attack. The United States has "a good sense" of the security measures being put in place by Russia, Obama said.

Saha moves

PARIS - Dimitar Berbatov joined Monaco from Fulham yesterday in the latest chapter of the mercurial forward's career on an otherwise quiet final day of the transfer window in France. Monaco is challenging fellow big-spender Paris Saint-Germain for the French title and needed to sign a striker to compensate for Colombia striker Radamel Falcao's long-term injury.

Taking a break

LAHORE, Pakistan - Departing coach Dav Whatmore said yesterday he was joining a Dubai-based sports company and would be taking a break from coaching after two years leading the Pakistan side. The Australian is leaving his post after helping Pakistan to a 1-1 draw in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.

On loan

MILAN - Italy striker Pablo Osvaldo completed a loan move to Juventus yesterday after a troubled spell in England, while Napoli signed defender Faouzi Ghoulam from Saint-Etienne on a quiet transfer deadline day in Italy. "I'm very happy," Osvaldo said of his return to Serie A. "Everything happened very fast and I still can't believe it ... It's been a hectic three or four days."

Kiwis win

WELLINGTON - New Zealand's merciless battering of India continued to the end of their one-day series as the home side bossed the world champions into defeat by 87 runs on Friday in Wellington. The prolific batting of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson and the seam bowling of Kyle Mills and newcomer Matt Henry ensured the five-match series ended 4-0.

Fastest finish

JEREZ, Spain - Nico Rosberg of Mercedes posted the fastest time yesterday in the early stages of the final day of Formula One testing at Jerez in Spain. Rosberg produced a lap time of 1 minute 37.5 seconds, with Thursday's leader Kevin Magnussen of McLaren next best. Overnight rain meant the drivers started the day with wet tyres.

Charge dropped

ISLAMABAD - The legal saga dogging Pakistani cricket administration took a fresh turn yesterday as the government withdrew its challenge to the reinstatement of the game's ousted chief. Earlier this month, an appeal court restored Zaka Ashraf as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, eight months after another court had thrown him out.